Collar-button.



E. M. LANG, Jn. COLLAR BUTTON. APPLICATION FILED MAYS. 1911.

1 ,274,060. Patented J uly 30, 1918.

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EDWARD M. LANG, J R., OF PORTLAND, MAINE.

COLLAR-BUTTON.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 30, 1918.

Application filed May 5, 1917. Serial No. 166,736.

To all whom it may concern:

, Be it known that I, EDWARD M. LANG, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Portland, in the county of Cumberland and State of Maine have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collar-Buttons, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a collar button and particularly to collar buttons designed to be used at the back of the neck.

The object of my invention is to provide a collar button of this character which will decrease, as much as possible the friction between the neck tie and the button at the back of the neck, when turned down collars are used.

The difliculty of tying a four-in-hand tie with the ordinary turn-down collar is well known. The tie jammed between the head of the button and the back of the collar has a tendency to stick and bind and to make the tying of the knot difiicult.

According to my invention, I form the head of the button into a cup into which a ball is inserted. The ball is somewhat loosely fitted in the cup and is confined therein by an inwardly turned edge. The ball is forced against this edge by a spring in the shank of the button and when any pressure is exerted on the ball, it yields against the action of the spring and rotates easily in the cup.

My invention will be readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawing in which is shown one embodiment of my invention.

Figure 1 is a vertical section through the collar button and Fig. 2 is a plan.

Referring to the drawing, 1 represents the base of the collar button and 2 the shank.

Theseparts may be solid, as here shown or they may be spun or stamped of thin material, as such buttons are frequently made.

The outer end of the shank terminates in a cup 3 which is as here shown made integral with the shank.

A ball 4 fits loosely in the cup and is retained in the same by an inwardly projecting flange 6 formed above the center of the ball. The ball is kept normally against the flange 6 by the pressure of a spiral spring 5 located in the shank.

The ball has considerable freedom of motion within the cup, when freed from its retaining flange.

Any pressure brought to bear on the outer surface of the ball tends to force it inward against the spring and to allow it to freely rotate inside of the cup. Thus, when the necktie draws across the 'button,the ball turns readily and greatly reduces the friction.

It is desirable to use glass as a material for the ball but it is difiicult to make a glass ball perfectly true, as steel balls usually are. By the use of the spring and the loose fit of the ball within the cup, I am enabled to make use of glass or other balls which are not perfectly globular in shape and with equally good results, as if they were perfectly formed.

I claim:

A collar button consisting of a base, a shank terminating in a cup, having an inwardly projecting edge, a ball in said cup, retained by said edge and a helical spring in said shank impinging on the under surface of said ball to form a single yielding support for said ball.

In testimony whereof I hereby afiix my signature.

EDWARD M. LANG, JR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for live cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Intent, Washington, D. G. 

